Men's Basketball Falls to Butler, 86-78
2/29/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
FORT WORTH (Dec. 27) - Butler rode a strong first half at the free throw line and the three-point shooting of guard Darnell Archey to a 76-68 victory over TCU Monday night at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. TCU's second consecutive home loss marked the first time the Horned Frogs have lost back-to-back home games four years.
Butler (6-3) was victorious in its first game ever on Texas soil largely on the strength of an 18-point effort by Archey, who hit four three-point baskets after coming off the bench early in the game. Another reserve, transfer center Scott Robisch, scored 16 points for the Bulldogs along with six rebounds. LaVall Jordan has 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds for Butler.
TCU (7-6) was led by Marquise Gainous and Myron Anthony, both of whom scored 20 points and racked up double-doubles. Gainous's fourth consecutive double-double outing included 12 rebounds while Anthony garnered 10 boards before fouling out with 2:26 remaining. Larry Allaway added 15 points and four steals for TCU.
A pair of technical fouls in the first half played a key role in Butler's early success. Butler held a 13-10 lead when TCU forward Derrick Davenport was called for two technical fouls with 13:32 remaining in the first half after a collision with Butler's Mike Marshall on the Horned Frogs' offensive end. The technicals caused Davenport's automatic ejection from the game and set up four free throws by Archey to extend the lead to 17-10. Butler made 18-fo-18 free throws in the first half on the way to building a 28-15 edge in free throws made for the game and a 41-21 advantage in free throw attempts on the night.
Less than one minute later, TCU guard Larry Allaway was charged with a technical after he was called for an offensive foul under the TCU basket. The ensuing two free throws helped continue a 12-0 Butler run that resulted in a 22-10 Bulldogs advantage following a three-point basket by Andrew Graves with 11:53 left in the first half.
TCU battled back to within four points twice in the first half before Butler extended the lead to 12, at 47-35, at halftime. Trailing by as much as 13 in the second period, TCU made a 8-0 run to cut the lead to six at 54-48 with 12:49 remaining before Butler responded with a three-pointer by Archey and a layup by Graves.
TCU's final run cut the Butler lead to six points at 78-72 on a three-point basket by guard Bingo Merriex with 1:26 remaining but the Bulldogs managed to stave off that rally to send the Horned Frogs to their second consecutive home loss. TCU last lost consecutive home games to Texas and Houston in February of 1996.
